Research in Rome

Dear Friends and Family,

I am writing this afternoon from Munich airport, where I am waiting for a flight to Toulouse, where I will be spending the week with the Dominicans studying the natural law and the role of suffering in a Christian's life. Both topics should make for quite interesting studies and will focus heavily, likely entirely, on the writings of Aquinas.

Among the many blessings of this past week was assisting with the preparation of several children for the Sacrament of Confirmation. Though much of the preparation will involve studying the lives of saints, studying the catechism, a regular regime of prayer, etc. it also involved the viewing of the movie Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. On Friday evening we had our class and then I led them in a "mini-holy hour," with the parents in attendance. I have always been struck by how helpful the regular practice of silent Eucharistic Adoration is, particularly by candlelight. God-willing, a weekly Holy Hour will help them to deepen their prayers lives in these coming months.

Then, last night, I watched Narnia with them and their family (in Italian, of course). Given the children's particular interests, this made for good discussion afterwards, including an analysis of Edmund's sins and ways in which the children commit some of the same sins, Peter's role and the role of the Holy Father, Bishops, and priests in the Church, Aslan's (Christ's) great sacrifice and the role of the Cross in the spiritual battle, etc.

On Tuesday I headed to Rome in order to spend the day in the Angelicum's library scanning in hard-to-find books. It was a very helpful trip as I was able to scan in texts from St. Albert the Great, St. Bonaventure, Philip the Chancellor, William of Auxerre, and others. Now the challenge will be to digest them all and include them in the first chapter of my licentiate thesis... My director requested this specific research and, while time-consuming, it has been quite interesting to see how they envisaged the moral law, and in particular the role of the grace of the Holy Spirit in the Christian life.

I should go now to prepare for boarding. Before leaving Rome I was able to make a Holy Hour in the Minor Basilica of Santa Francesca Romana, located right in between the Colosseum and the Roman Forum. You all were in my prayers there.

May Jesus grant you some share of His strength, peace, and joy, and may Our Lady be your guide and sure refuge.

In Cordibus Iesu et Mariae,
Fr. Pillari